European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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When we approached the village, we noticed a lot of people fleeing.
When we approached the village, we noticed a lot of people fleeing.
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So we asked: "What happened?"
So we asked: "What happened?"
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And they said: "The Germans have come!"
And they said: "The Germans have come!"
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Oh, shit! We asked a man standing around
Oh, shit! We asked a man standing around
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which was the safest way and he said: "I am going to the cemetery".
which was the safest way and he said: "I am going to the cemetery".
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So we went there, too.
So we went there, too.
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After a while everything was quiet so he walked back home.
After a while everything was quiet so he walked back home.
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We didn't know the place so we decided to spend the night there
We didn't know the place so we decided to spend the night there
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and leave the next morning. Slowly,
and leave the next morning. Slowly,
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avoiding the main roads and the villages, we went up to the hills.
avoiding the main roads and the villages, we went up to the hills.
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We reached Nironi, Vairo, Palanzano,
We reached Nironi, Vairo, Palanzano,
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all those villages that we'd heard about but had no idea where they were.
all those villages that we'd heard about but had no idea where they were.
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If we asked people they would all say:
If we asked people they would all say:
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"No, here we don't know anything, we don't see anything,
"No, here we don't know anything, we don't see anything,
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we don't even know who the rebels are ..."
we don't even know who the rebels are ..."
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So slowly, slowly we proceeded uphill and were quite desperate because we had lost ...
So slowly, slowly we proceeded uphill and were quite desperate because we had lost ...
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We had some coins in our pocket but not many.
We had some coins in our pocket but not many.
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At night there always was a problem of where to spend the night, at some peasant's house.
At night there always was a problem of where to spend the night, at some peasant's house.
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But it was dangerous because the fascists would come and get you.
But it was dangerous because the fascists would come and get you.
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So we arrived at Corniglio
So we arrived at Corniglio